Song Review: Zara Larsson – ‘Lush Life’

December 21, 2015

[Ellis O’Connell | Contributing Writer]

If there ever was a perfect, ready-made popstar, it’s Zara Larsson. Young and fresh? Check. She’s only 17 years old. Good voice? Check (her voice is huge). Swedish? Check. With Sweden known for their constant production of pop bangers, Larsson (who hails from Stockholm) is no exception. Likeable? Check. Her 1.1 million Instagram followers are presented with laughable memes and people she generally finds attractive – as well as a mountain of selfies. I think that covers it.

Yes, as the undeniable Queen of Sweden, Zara Larsson really is poised and ready to take the UK by storm. Capitalising on the success of her debut UK single “Never Forget You” with MNEK, she has decided to release “Lush Life” as her next. I may need to take a breather; I might get too excited about this prospect.

“I live my day as if it was my last / Live my day as if there was no past,” Larsson states in the opening lyric with a voice that sounds like Rihanna circa “Umbrella”. The electro-pop gem features a delectable guitar riff, sharp bass and dizzying synths, culminating to one fantastic production. “Had one chance to make me blush / Second time is one too late,” Larsson shrugs to her previous lover, claiming that now she has “found another crush,” the “lush life’s” given her “a rush”. It’s a simple song with simple lyrics, but that’s what makes it so bloody amazing. “I kept saying I’mma stay in touch / But that thing went bust / So I gave it up,” she bluntly informs us. She’s great, isn’t she? It’s a typically Swedish song, combining the simple-but-not-dumb lyrics with catchy melodies. Picture a Victoria sponge cake. A simple cake, one can’t deny. Now imagine it multiplied in size by 1,000. Now picture it as a creation of Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain with some help from Mary Berry. That’s how good this song is. Seriously.

Originally released in continental Europe way back in the summer, “Lush Life” took off and became a colossal hit for Larsson. Now making impressions on both sides of the Atlantic, she has suddenly become extremely busy, and for good reason. Using “Lush Life” as the introductory single to her international debut album, it is almost certain to become a huge hit for Zara Larsson on British shores during the early months of 2016.